India plans to increase purchases of military hardware and technologies

India plans to buy a lot of military hardware and technologies abroad in the immediate future, Asia's sole specialised journal on aviation Indian Aviation claims.

It is noted in its latest issue that in line with the broadening strategic role of the country as a regional superpower official New Delhi has taken a decision on urgent modernisation of the reconnaissance, defensive and assault potential.

According to Indian Aviation, the reform in the defence sphere which is actually under way envisages not only active work of the new official body - the Council on Purchases of Military Hardware but also diversification of the sources from which arms come, and establishment in the country of joint enterprises for manufacturing the necessary military hardware.

The journal quotes officials of the Defence Ministry as saying that, alongside cooperation with Russia, India has been rapidly developing relations with the USA, Great Britain, Israel, France and Italy.

The contracts for local production of the French Scorpion submarines and the purchase of the Russian aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Gorshkov, the Israeli-made AWACS systems Falcon and the British training airplanes Hawk will soon be added to the long list of the already concluded contracts on urgent purchases of various hardware.

According to Indian Aviation, this financial year the Ministry of Defence plans to fully spend the 220 billion budget rupees (more than 4.5 billion dollars) earmarked by the state for new purchases.